Automobile-btjeees



G. A. LYON. AUTOMOBILE BUFFER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, l9l9.

I 1,325,746. Patented. Dec. 23, 1919.

511 mm nfo z UNIT STATES P TENT. OFFICE.

' Gnome ALBERT pron, or rnma'nn'nrnm, rnunsrtvanxa avrbiaosmE-Borrna.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ALBERT LYON,

- a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have made ace'rtain new and useful Invention Relating toAutomobile-Buffers, of which the followin is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

This invention which, is a continuation in part of my (to-pending application, Serial No. 310,937 ,filed July 15, 1919, that is, contains subject matter taken therefrom, relates especially to automobile buffers formed off-resilient strip steel or other metal and in which one of the cooperating connector portions of the buffer members is preferably formed with low orslightly projecting alin- 'ing flanges preferably projecting not" n o re than about the thickness of the main" strip and having inclined or: somewhat wedging 'inner sides so as to engage and grip the 00- operating bufler member which may, have a substantially flat cross-section with rounded ends. for instance. When such connector members have their list faces forced or clamped together by any suitable clamping means these gripping alining flanges can thus exert a very desi able alining action and hold the members against vertical movement so that a relatively slight overlap of these buffer members is suiiicient to rigidly and reliably clamp them together. The buffer trout or impact -receiving member is preferably provided with. these alining flanges throughout its length and this member may be formed with integral end loops and with inturned connector portions extending toward each other from the end loops so as to constitute straight connector portions to which the resilient or other attaching members may be alining flanges addto its st1 ength and when only-projecting to a relatively slight extent from its surface do not greatly interfere with the bending and formingoperations to which the member is subjected.

In "the, accompanying drawing which shows inyasomewhatdiagrammatic way an illustrative embodimentfof this invention.

Figure 1 "viewof a buger; and

substantially Specification of Letters iatent. Patented i360. 23,1919. Application filed September 18, 1919. Serial No. 324,294.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. l.

The resilient buffer front member as thus have a substantially fiat front. surface with rounded edges. The usual hot bendin of the spring channel strip may be efi'ectet by bendln the strip around a form preferably so 5 aped as to principally or solely, engage the flat inner side of the strip so as to give a minimum deformation to the flanges. integral end loo s,such as 2,3, may be formed at the end o the butter front mmnb'cr and these looped portions oonsti toting the ends of the buffer-are preferably bentbackward somewhat throughout the portions which are adapted to extend into protective position -in front of the Wheels of the automobile or other vehicle. A desirable way of forming this part of the termediate curved portions to give a more pleasing outline and this central part otthe buflcr front member may be either -substan-. tially straight as indigated or slightly forwardly bowed as desired.

The coiiperating attaching members connecting the buffer front to the automobile frame or other part of the vehicle may advans 'tageously be formed of resilient strip such as tempered spring steel and these attachin; members 8, 9 may each comprise a forwardly and outwardly bent portion 10 merging into a substantially straight connectorportion 11 of such size and length as to properly cooperate with the inturned turned connector portionso'f the buffer frontmember.

portions which are adjustably "clamped or Y apart and put together and ad usted on an the ordinary, chaufi'eur or By this arrangement an operlap of three or four inches or more can be secured between the cooperating connector secured'together and at the same time ample range of adjustment can be secured between these substantially straight or. otherwise similarly shaped connector portions so that as much as four or five inches adjustment may in'some cases'be secured at each of these points. j

Fig. 1, illustrates these connector portions in such adjusted positions as brings the 'attaching members quite close together and under these conditions a threeor four inch as described. By

- purpose,

portion 11 of the overlap :beyond the ends '6, 7 of the inturned I connector ortions of the bufi'erfront member is'suflibient where such gripping alin ing action is secured by making one of the connector portions of flanged cross-section giving the inner faces or sides of these alinmg'fia-ngcs 12- a slightly inclined formthe edges of the connector coiiperating attaching member may be forced into wedging engagement. therewith when the parts are clamped or forced together so that a very efficient vertical alinin action is thus secured by forcing the at faces of the 00- operating members together. Any desired form of clamping means may be used for this purpose and \Figs. 1 and 2-illustrate a form of cl p 14 which is desirable for this the inner faces or'portions of the clip of malleable iron or drop forged steel, for instance being so shaped as to embrace the intermediate interlocked connector portions over which the clip may he slipped or forced when in its opened or loosened, position. Then by tightening up the clamping bolt 13 which may as indicated be pro-. vidcd with lock washers the parts are forcibly brought together in a horizontal direction whereupon'thc relatively tight fit of the alining flanges prevents any undesirable substantial-vert cal movement'and if a gripping or wedging' contact is secured be tween these flanges and the coiiperating connector portion an extremely; tight and re-. liable join may thus be conveniently formedwhich as stated, gives ample stiffness and strength when an so is employed even under the extremely trying service conditions to which such antomobile buffers are exposed. -'Of course where such tight fitting or wedging flanges are employed carqmust be taken in bending overlap of four inches or i i I 5,746 l or forming the inturned connector portions 1 ofsuch a spring channel strip so as not to a deform them and this is facilitated by making the connector portions substantially: :7

straight, and in some cases the hot strip may during the bending operation. be forced against accurately fitting dies orformers s3 H a l i I. i

automobile by -car'owner wlthout special tools or. appliances, it being naturally understood that the attaching members are of such form construction-as to be adapted to be clamped and or otherwise secured to the automobile v frame. When disconnected the parts of this buffer may be readily packed and stored and shipped which is also an important consideration in this connection.

nection with a number of embodiments, forms, proportions, parts,

materials, methods of tion -anduse, to the details of which dis- This invention has been described in con- I arrangements, manufacture, connecclosure the invention is not of course to be i limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters- I Patent is set forth in the appended claims. -Iclaim 1. The automobile buffer comprising a resllient buffer front member formed of chanslightly projecting gripping alining flanges provided with inclined wedging inner sides,v

said buiferfront member having rearwardly ben't integral end loop portions adapted to pro ect into protective position in front of the vehicle wheels and having integral in-' forwardly and outwardly of said liiifler front member a sectioned spring steel strip having and have' substantially tight wedging engagement with the almm mg connector portions adjacent each end of the, bufferv and forcing. the flat vertical faces of the connector portions together and promoting the vertical alinementof said connector portions.

2. The automobile buffer comprising a resilient bufier front member formed of channel sectioned spring steel'strip having projecting with inclined wedging inner. sides, said buffer from; member having integral end g'flanges thereof and clamping means inclosmg the cooperatsubstantially gripping alining flanges provided 160;; portions adapgad 'toBfoject into pro I portions together. 4. The automobile bufier compris' .a re- I ss silient bufier front member formed 2am l a 'tective position in nt of a vehicle wheels and having integral intumedsubstantiall straight rear connector portions, spring steel- 5 strip attaching members; having forwardlya and outwardly curved portions and integral substantially straight, connector" rtions adapted to cooperate; with the inturned .connector portions of said 'bufienfront' member an have substantial wedging en- .gagement with the alining flanges thereof.- an clamping'means' inclosingthe cooperatin connector portions adjacent each end of t e buifer and forcing the fiat substantially vertical faces of the connector portions together. 3. The automobile-bufier comprisin are silient bufier front member formed 0 .fchannel sectioned strip having projecting? rip-1 alining flangesfprowded with inc ined we ging sides; said buffer front mem.-" her, having integral end loop portions adapted to proj ect, into protective position: in front of the vehicle wheels and having integral inturnedsubstantially straight 'rearr V -.port1ons"'adapte'd" toa justably cooperate connector portions, attaehingmembers haw ing integral substantially straight connector)? portions adapted to coiiperatewith theinturned connector lportions of said buifefl so front member and ave substantial \vedging en gement with the alining flanges thereof 8 clampingjmeans QfOtCihg the connector .chan nei sectioned spring steel strip having gripping alining edge flanges transversely projecting from the strip not more the thickness of the strip, said bufier front mem-.

so her having integral loop portions adapted to project into protective position in front of the vehicle wheels and having intgralSubstantially straight connector portions, spring steel strip attachin members having for-- 5 wardly and outwar ly curved portions and integral substantially straight connector portions adapted to 006 erate with the connector portions of said ufler front member and having alining action in connection with the alining flanges thereof and clamping means inclosing the cooperating connector portions.

The automobile bufler compri silient bufi'er front member formed o channel sectioned spring steel strip ing alining flanges transversely projecting iiom .the strip not more thanthe thickness of the strip, said bufl'er front member having integral portions and having integral substantially straight connector portions, at-

tachmg members having integral substantially straight connector portions adapted to coo rate with the connector portions of said bu er front member and have alining action as in connection with the alinmg flanges thereof are;

. protective silient buffer front member. formed of channel sectionedstrip having alining flanges, 7'0 said bufier front member having integral portions'and having integral connector por- -'tions," attaching .1ne1 nbe'rshaving integral xconnector portions adapted to crate with; the connector portions of said uifer front member and have alining action in connection with the alining flanges thereof and clamping means engaging the cotiperatin'g connector portions. y

The automobile bufier comprising a re.- 3'0 silient strip bufi'er front member having end. loop portions adapted to project into protective position in front of. the vehicle wheels and havinglintegral inturned substantially straight connector portions formed 35 with slightly projecting gripping alinin g edge flanges-provided with inclined wedging inner sides, spring steel strip attaching members having. outwardly curved portions and integral-substantiall straight connector with the inturned connector portions of said -bufi'erfront member and have substantially tight wedging engagement with the alining fla thereoiand frictional clip cla inping as T bufi'er and force the same together.

8. The automobile bufier comprising a re- ,silien't strip bufi'er'fron't member. having v end 'loop portions adapted to. project into protective osition in front of the vehicle wheelsvan having inturned substantially.- straight connector portionsj formed with gripping alining edge flanges provided with 1 05 wedgmg nner sides, ;attaching members having outwardl curved portions and integral substantia ly straight connector portions' adapted toadjustably cooperate with 7 the inturned connector portions of said bnf- 11o 'fer front member have substantially.

tight wedging engagement with the alining flangesthereoi and frictional clip clamp:*-- ing means adaptgd to inclose the rat ing connector portions adjacent eac end 1 b :-of the buffer and force the same together.

.9. The automobile'bufier' comprising a resilient strip butter front member having end loop portions adapted to project into wheels an havingintegrahinturned connector portions formed with al' flanges, attaching members having outward y curved portions and connector .pxortions adapted to qljustably coiiperatewit the'inturned eon- 125 nector portions said buffer front member and thealining flanges thereofand clamp;

means adapted to engage-the cooperat-v noon; in front of the vehicle mg connector portionsad aoent each endof i thobufl'er and force the same together. let a v1 0. I The automobile buffer' comprising a bufl'er front member formed of channel sectioned strip having "alim'ng edge flanges,

said buffer front memberhavin'g' integral loop portionsfiadap'ted to project into protective position wheels .and having mturned integral substantially straight connector portions, spring steel 'stripattachingmembers having fortioned strip having alinin flanges, said bufi'er front member having integral loop.

portions adapted to project intoprotective position in front of the vehicle ini front of the vehiclewheels and having intu-rned integral connector portions, attaching members having connector por-' tions adapted to cooperate with the connector portions of said buffer front member 4' and having aliningvaction in connection with the alining flanges thereof and clamp' means securing together the cooperating connector portions.-

12. The automobile bufi'er'comprising a resilient strip bufier front member havmg end portions adapted to project into pro-.

tective position, in front of the vehicle nector portions formed with attachlng members having connector porwheels and having inwardly extending conalining flanges,

tions adapted to adjustably cooperate with.

the connector portions of said buffer. front member and the alining flanges thereofand clamping means adapted to engage the cooperating connector portions adjacent each end of the buffer and forcing the same together.

' J I GEORGE ALBERT LYON. 

